Traffic jam extended

The monstrous traffic in the city especially those for southbound is pestering the commuters since Friday when the Shrine Hills diversion road area was closed following a landslide in the area. The Department of Public Works and Highways and the City Engineer’s Office both declared the road where the landslide occurred is still not safe for use, hence, will remain close for another one to two days. This means road users have to bear further the irritating traffic disorder. Good for those who have private vehicles as they could use alternate routes compared to those who use the public transport which get stuck in the traffic.

The road closure at the diversion area indeed resulted to a chaotic traffic with all those giant trucks now passing the main roads. The traffic horror was triggered by the landslide, which is practically a disaster caused by humans. Despite warnings from directly concerned departments among others, the Mines Geosciences Bureau on the risk of development along Shrine Hills, still, development works persist which further soften the soil in the area. This is why environmentalists see a landslide and other related disasters coming. The developments however could not proceed unless given the permit by government both national and local. Amid this irregularity, the road users are now being blamed for using the diversion road despite the warnings of authorities to avoid the area because of possible landslides.

Having one diversion road, naturally, vehicles would use the road unless government permanently closed the route. It also could not, because there are no alternate routes. If only developments were strictly prohibited to continue at Shrine Hills, there will be no landslides and eventual traffic jam. The road closure and the traffic horror also signal the urgent need for more alternate routes. The bypass and coastal road projects are the answers to the problem. With more road options, there will be less disasters and traffic jam. These two projects should be fast-tracked to ease transportation and keep people safe. Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways and City Engineer’s Office should make good their explanation over the continued Shrine Hills development and road closure in today’s regular session of the City Council.

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